We take a look at the projects that most resonated with our followers on Mix Interiors’ Instagram.
7 min read
From elegant Mayfair offices to the tallest modular residential building in Europe, we’ve shared a host of impressive interiors across our socials since the start of the year. Here we roundup the ten posts you loved the most.
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We explored the extent to which our built environment can be a reflection of wider social inequalities. Case in point, since 1972 much of our lives have been measured against ‘Standard Person’ or ‘Reference Man’ as he became known; a 20-something man on which crash test dummies are modelled, medical tests and experimental vaccines are trialled, seats are moulded around, and air conditioning regulated upon. Office equipment, from desks to tech, are often the standard dimensions suited for the average adult male. The list goes on.
This isn’t a case of creating spaces lavished in pink frills and other gendered design clichés, but active, systematic changes. Providing well-lit pathways to carparks and public transport; increasing the number of bathrooms available (women take on average twice as long as men to use bathroom spaces); and providing safe and comfortable breast-feeding or pumping spaces for new mothers. These rooms can double for private spaces for those experiencing menstrual or menopause related symptoms (one of the last true taboos in the workplace). Spaces that we live and work in can work for everyone, if they’re designed by everyone.
Designed by architects HTA, Enclave is a 50 storey BTR (Build To Rent) residence in Croydon that claims to be the tallest volumetric modular residential building in Europe. Aligning with this impressive height was the client’s ambition for the residence to deliver the next generation of communal living: the amenity offering spans over 24,000 sq ft across six floors, providing an extensive offering for 815 apartments.
Inside, the material palette from interior designers Tigg+Coll is inspired by the architectural heritage of Croydon. Tied together by a strong mid-century feel, each level is given its own distinct identity, creating a series of homely and comfortable spaces that people want to inhabit. “From the outset the client recognised the critical nature of the social spaces and fostering community within the development as key to its success, in both driving rentals and maintaining renewals,” says Tigg+Coll‘s Rachel Coll. “The critical challenge was to engender a community at such a scale and within a very vertical building.”
Exploring the world of self-designed spaces, we spotlit a selection of innovative workplaces created by designers, for designers. Ranging from dynamic, agile working in Roar’s Dubai warehouse to showcasing the production process in Universal Design Studio’s Clerkenwell HQ, you enjoyed seeing the vision of fellow architects and designers come together for their own day-to-day environment.
Amsterdam, a city woven with canals and rich culture, traces its roots to the 12th century. From fishing village to global trading hub, the city is now known for its iconic architecture, creative heritage and progressive spirit, and it is here that content agency &.media group has found its home. Overhauling a former car garage, @studio.sluijzer and @88.projects give nature and downtime a leading role at this harmonious Amsterdam office, encouraging collaboration and nimble working with natural, sustainable materials and adaptable layouts.
For the two design studios, creating a diverse and multi-functional workplace that felt comfortable and productive was imperative. “This project challenges the traditional workspace by prioritizing wellbeing, flexibility and sustainability over conventional office norms,” comments Studio Sluijzer’s Robin Sluijzer. “A lot of work has gone into dividing the spaces into different working areas, with flexible workstations, comfortable seating areas and quiet zones incorporated into the design.”
Presented with an ample 50,000 sq ft space, M Moser set out to unite two separate business units for a global consulting firm. Underpinned by inclusivity, flexibility and cultural integration, this modern workspace aims to foster connectivity while respecting the importance of personal privacy.
Accessible innovations include a reception desk that accommodates conversations with visitors at both standing and seated levels, finishings on doorhandles catering to closed fists or a loose grip, and an audio induction loop in the firm’s large multi-purpose room allowing employees with hearing impairments to utilise the space with ease. Similarly, varied colour and lighting options in phone booths or focus rooms will help those sensitive to visual and auditory distractions create more comfortable, productive work environments.
Transforming an 11,000 sq ft space in the heart of London, Align took its principal design cues from the client’s Bermuda HQ to create a tropical-inspired workspace. Alongside this vibrant, biophilic aesthetic, the studio also drew from the 3,000-year-old practice of Feng Shui, which informed the site plan from beginning to end. Placing each workstation and amenity according to the Feng Shui compass, the studio also made sure to soften the overall geometry of the interiors with as many curved elements as possible.
As well as these soft, organic shapes, a multitude of bespoke features recall the colours and textures of Bermuda’s natural environment, ranging from the palette of sandy beiges, sea blues and forest greens to scallop-edged joinery and ripple-effect surface treatments. Striking stalactite-inspired lighting – custom-made by Atrium – hangs from the corridor ceilings as a nod to Bermuda’s iconic Crystal Caves, turning the everyday walkways into a design feature of their own. The most dramatic of the tropical fixtures, however, is undoubtedly the floor-to-ceiling semi-circular terrarium that takes pride of place in the reception.
Despite South Quay Building’s once humdrum appearance, the 13-storey, 210,000 sq ft waterside tower has had a torrid time. Built in 1989 as South Quay 3, it was one of the Docklands buildings that was damaged when the IRA detonated a 3,000-pound bomb on 9 February 1996. It was re-skinned with mirrored glazing after the bomb and given the new name Wyndham House, and later had another name change to South Quay Building (SQB). Now, as big businesses including HSBC and Clifford Chance leave or plan to leave Canary Wharf, General Projects (GP) took on SQB and the challenge of boosting occupancy, which was at 40%.
The real estate developer brought SODA in to disrupt the typical Canary Wharf offer; to create something more youthful and rebellious than its corporate neighbours. SODA director Russell Potter, elaborates: “We were tasked with creating a series of flexible workspaces that wouldn’t be boring – environments that are playful and encourage a communal spirit, which is now more important than ever.” Now known as Sierra Quebec Bravo (SQB), this made-up moniker is derived from the boating alphabet and the graphic motif of Dazzle camouflage used throughout.
Based in the centre of Colchester and just minutes away from the University of Essex campus, Ekho Studio’s first step into PBSA (Purpose-Built Student Accommodation) encompasses 282 student rooms and a handful of bright, inviting communal areas. Aiming to incorporate balance and flexibility, shared workspaces are punctuated with quieter zones promoting focus and relaxation, with co-working spaces that allow for both individual study and team collaboration.
When creating a concept for the new build, the Ekho Studio team – led by founding partner Rachel Withey – took inspiration from Colchester’s rich historic past. The city was recorded in the Roman era as Britain’s first official settlement and, later, as Britain’s first city and capital. Certain structures from this period remain intact, which the studio used to create a consistent design language for the project – an arch motif appears horizontally and vertically throughout the interiors, while repeat patterns with a woven form or fringed edge suggest the layered textiles of the old city. Enso’s distinctive colour palette also blends Roman-era references with local natural colours, pairing warm terracotta with shades of blue and green.
Now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the UK and Ireland, Belfast’s fortunes have been all but transformed from the gloomier days of the Troubles. A steady stream of new developments are now adding to the city’s creative and cultural tapestry, from innovative workplaces to design-led hotels and progressive University environments – reshaping the student experience. From eco hometels to the world of academia, we selected some of the most thoughtfully conceived spaces to work, stay and study in Northern Ireland’s capital, with a selection of projects showcasing Belfast’s burgeoning design clout.
Sitting on the south side of St James’s Square, an eight-storey office building has been overhauled by Basha-Franklin, transformed into a boutique workspace that celebrates Mayfair’s connections to 19th century members clubs and vibrant arts scene. Given the location of the building, double-height ceiling and cornices spring to mind for the interiors – instead, thanks in part to limitations in height in the 1980s structure, Basha-Franklin has created a space that celebrates the postmodernism roots of the building; introducing bold forms, colour and texture that, together, creates an impactful style that sits firmly in the modern day.
Luxury materials with a twist are used throughout the ground floor – marble sourced from a European quarry waste stream of imperfect slabs and contrasting stone are used to create the reception area and coffee-and-social area. A bespoke sculptural polished plaster work wall with gold trim detail ripples across the back of the reception area, leading guests to the lifts.
Inspiration for your next read
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Collaborating with the local council and community-focused architects Extended Studio, the concept will revitalise disused railway arches and reconnect public realm space.
Conceived as a “21st-century factory atelier”, the expansive campus at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is tailored to the prestigious arts school's long-term ambitions.
